


Indecent Investments

by dreamsofdramione



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Banter, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff and Humor, Flustered Hermione Granger, Harry Potter Epilogue Compliant, Humor, Mature Dramione, Romance, Snarky Draco Malfoy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-10
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 08:21:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29329218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamsofdramione/pseuds/dreamsofdramione
Summary: It made no sense, and she was a woman who relied on logic above all else. Unfortunately, Draco Malfoy, recently divorced father of one, was determined to be anything but. And her attraction to him, however clinical it may have been, was also illogical.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Comments: 23
Kudos: 193
Collections: Best of DMHG, LU, The Floo Network





	Indecent Investments

**Author's Note:**

  * For [floorcoaster](https://archiveofourown.org/users/floorcoaster/gifts).



> Happy, happy birthday to one of my favorite people in the entire world. I went back and forth on what to write for you but finally settled on this short, silly thing. I hope you like it and I hope you have the best birthday yet. You, of all people, deserve it friend. I am so thankful to know you and call you a dear friend. Thank you for being you. I don't know what I would do without you. And you obviously know I’m very very bad at these sentimental things, but just know that I appreciate you and your friendship more than you know.

“Over here, you’ll find the dry nitrogen fertilizer. It’s a Muggle invention they’ve incorporated that reacts positively with the chemical compounds necessary in maximizing the alcohol content of the grapes.” Hermione motioned to the storeroom, debating if her breath would be wasted describing the particular intricacies of the magical components she’d added, or the exact temperature and moisture levels the room was kept at. Deciding it was likely overkill, she kept moving forward. “Through this door, you’ll see—”

“Yes, yes, Granger. My eyes do work. I can see the bottling facilities just fine.” 

She spun around to watch Draco Malfoy, in a thin likeness of the boy he’d been back at Hogwarts, roll his eyes. The years had changed him, deepening the fine lines on his face and lightening the particular shade of blond more than she’d thought possible. 

“You’ve shown me enough,” he said.

“We haven’t even gone out on the grounds yet, Malfoy.” Hermione chose her words carefully. “I don't see how you could make an informed decision without understanding the entire process—”

“I already had my mind made up the moment I walked through this door. With the Brightest Witch of Our Age at the helm, how could it possibly be a bad investment? Just show me where to sign, and you’ll have all you need to—what did you call it? Oh, yes, right—to ‘unburden the house-elf population of the aristocracy’s proclivity toward overindulgence.’”

She felt a flush creep over her skin, and immediately chastised herself for it. “Well, aren't you going to ask any questions? I’m sure you’re curious about the efficacy of the refinement process or the enchantments placed around—"

"Not really, no."

"Right, good.” Hermione took a deep breath, deliberately ignoring the way Malfoy’s distractingly long fingers drummed against his leg. She cleared her throat. “If it’s all the same to you, I’d still like to take you through the grounds."

“If you insist.” 

His smile could have sliced through a sheet of glass with nothing more than a clean line. Sharp and shapely, every single one of his perfectly straight teeth was on full display as he flashed her a grin wholly different from the sneer she’d expected. But that wasn’t the only thing that had been unexpected about Malfoy. His presence alone was an intrusion on her sensibilities. A walking contradiction of a man, she’d had to toss her schoolgirl ideas of who he was ages ago. She’d wondered, of course, over the years—when their paths had crossed at Hogwarts, or the Ministry, but she’d never let herself linger. But now—now she had no choice but to try to figure out who now inhabited the chiseled form of the man in front of her. Who had somehow managed to barge through her secretary’s stonewalling and schedule a meeting with her with less than a full day’s notice. 

Hermione tried not to look, not to notice, as she led them on. She’d just officially ended a marriage of more than two decades, despite the relationship being long over before then, and it wasn’t public knowledge yet. His own family life had been splashed across the pages of the Prophet as their children grew up alongside each other. It would have been more than just improper to have noticed him before, it would have been downright indecent. But now… well, now she might let herself appreciate the spectacle of a man in front of her, no matter how infuriating he might be.  _ Briefly.  _ It was just an objective perusal, honestly, purely a curiosity she was— 

“Really, we could skip the rest of this tour. I’ve seen all I need to in order to make a decision.” 

Malfoy’s drawl pulled Hermione from her thoughts. She stopped cold and blinked at him, willing the heat on her cheeks to abate. 

“Do you make a habit of throwing money at every ill-advised proposal now, Malfoy?” Fighting back a scoff, Hermione crossed her arms. “That doesn’t seem like a wise way to protect the family fortune.”

“ _ Is _ this ill-advised? How unkind to yourself, Granger. I’ve never known you to lobby for a cause that’s anything less than… wholesome. And while I appreciate your concern for the state of my vaults, I can assure you the family fortune is more than intact.” 

The ripple of his jaw was distracting, so Hermione averted her eyes, toying with the itinerary in her hands. She’d sprung for the stiffer parchment, worried about impressions she now knew to be fruitless. 

“In fact,” he continued, “the specifics about this enterprise are irrelevant. I’m here because this venture reflects well on the Malfoy name, regardless of its success or failure. Not quite on par with passing legislation for unilateral house-elf wages, but still altruistic in its intention.” 

Her expensive parchment crumpled in her fingers. “Well, it’s more than simply publicity for us. If that’s all it is for you, I suggest you sign the agreement and be on your way. Or don’t. We’re seeking investors with a social conscience who want to back the right things. I have a feeling your  _ vault _ has no such moral compass.”

He chuckled, low and dark. The sound made her breathless for a moment before she remembered her anger.

“Subtlety has never been your strong suit, Granger. Luckily, I find that endearing. I was well aware who I was taking the meeting with.” Malfoy let his gaze drift down the hall to the other open doors. 

She frowned, waiting. Despite the expanse of space, the air felt stifling. 

“If you must know, I am rather fond of elves,” he went on. “Your opinion piece about their skin thickness and inability to form calluses strong enough to protect them from pain while harvesting moved me. Well done, Granger.”

Hermione stared at him for a moment before snorting. “Cut the act, Malfoy. There’s no need to impress  _ me.  _ I know your reputation is tarnished right now from your…  _ dalliances, _ but those Galleons are still just as shiny. I’m sure there are plenty of other opportunities out there for you. I’m not about to— write some sort of article praising you for your support, or—”

“Are you suggesting you  _ don’t  _ want my support? I never expected _ you _ , of all people, to put a personal prejudice ahead of the needs of those less fortunate. Isn’t that the purpose of your little firm? To find these causes and lobby for the social conscience of us all?” Malfoy shook his head. “While irritation does suit those perfectly pouty features of yours, I must say, the need to attack my intentions is nothing less than hurtful.”

Anger and confusion warred within her in equal measure. Why imply it was a publicity move, and then defend his noble intentions, as if _she_ were  in the wrong? 

It made no sense, and she was a woman who relied on logic above all else. Unfortunately, Draco Malfoy, recently divorced father of one, was determined to be anything but. And her attraction to him, however clinical it may have been, was also illogical. 

But she was a grown woman, with two children at school and a resume a mile long. She was no longer the little girl with buck teeth or the young woman trying to work her way up the slippery rungs of the Ministry ladder. No, she was Hermione Granger, owner of her own civil rights firm, the first of its kind in the wizarding world that fought for both creature and human rights at every hint of inequality. She was in charge of securing the funds to fight the injustices that still permeated wizarding society. There was no shortage of wrongs for her to right, and without the red tape that came with a Ministry position, she was actually achieving things she’d long since sought to correct. While she wasn’t always successful, she’d learned that the road to success wasn’t always a clear path. She approached everything in her life with hope, determination, and the best of intentions. 

Except when she was checking out Draco Malfoy and his exceptionally fitted suit. She wasn’t sure even a saint could find a hint of good intentions in her mind. 

Flustered and embarrassed by her inability to distinguish if the pace of her pulse was due to his maddening impassivity or his refusal to break eye contact, Hermione did the only thing she could think of: she walked off. 

Each tap of her low heel against the wood echoed down the hall. She passed the doors to the quality inspection lab, the juicing rooms, the refinery, and finally made it through the door at the very end of the hall that led to a staircase. Stomping down each stair harder than strictly necessary, Hermione tried to rein in her ire. 

The afternoon had clearly been a waste of time. 

Draco Malfoy had no real interest in her fight for house-elf rights and her overhaul of the elvish wine industry. 

Draco Malfoy didn’t care about their vulnerable fingers or the fact that this Muggle and magical blend of tending to the grapes would yield larger, more potent quantities of the sought-after drink. 

He didn’t care that the company’s profit margins were twice as large as they were a year ago, when she’d first consulted with them. 

All in all, Draco Malfoy didn’t give a damn, and that made her so mad she wanted to stomp all the way back to her office and Obliviate herself so she could erase the fact that it had ever happened in the first place. 

She’d had high hopes, but her clients would understand. If someone didn’t believe in the cause they were fighting for, their Galleons were more trouble than they were worth. 

The Apparition point was just beyond the heavy oak double doors at the bottom of the staircase. All she had to do was make it a few more steps, ignoring the clip of Malfoy’s unnaturally polished loafers behind her. Not that she’d meant to notice that detail, either, but of course everything about the man was infuriatingly refined.

With a wave of her hand, the doors opened wide and she rushed the final few steps to freedom. Unfortunately, Malfoy somehow made it to the Apparition point at the exact same moment. 

“Thank you for—”

“Shove it, Malfoy.” Hermione pulled out her wand, already thinking of her destination. “I don’t want your Galleons, and I don’t want you to waste another second of my—”

Long, lean fingers wrapped around her hand holding her wand. Hermione gasped, her heart thumping, her skin warming at the contact. 

“Granger.” 

The way he said her name was unfamiliar in every way, no hint of contempt or snark, no morsel of malice. 

Hermione straightened her spine, daring to look up and meet his eyes even as his fingers tightened against her wrist. 

“Malfoy.”

The word was heavy with confusion and uncertainty, apprehension and excitement. It made no sense, but Hermione didn’t bother fighting her reaction. She was… curious.

Malfoy cleared his throat and dropped her hand. The lingering pressure from his fingertips made her skin tingle. 

“Unfortunately I have to rescind my earlier offer.” 

Malfoy’s eyes stayed glued to hers as her heart dropped into her stomach. Despite her earlier insistence that they didn’t need his money, she couldn’t help but feel like she’d failed. Which was beyond unfair because he hadn’t even let her fully present the proposal. But she couldn’t open her mouth, couldn’t form a single word, rendered speechless by the weight of his steady gaze. 

“I no longer feel that this is the right investment for the Malfoy portfolio,” he said.

“Then why are you even here?” Hermione’s anger bled into her veins again. “It’s not as though you’ve even given this the proper consideration—”

“No, I didn’t.” Malfoy took a step closer. “I believe you misunderstand my intention, so let me be perfectly clear.”

Hermione could do nothing but swallow. Up close, she could see the wisps of white peppered in his already light hair. 

“Are you aware that Malfoy Industries funds  _ The Daily Prophet _ ?” 

She tried to gather her wits as he took another step. “I don’t see how lauding your other investments is even remotely relevant.”

“One of our best, if you ask me. Our reporters are unparalleled.” Malfoy’s smile was positively sinful, the curl of his lip enticing as his face dipped to hers. “I hear you’re single.” 

Hermione had been kissed plenty of times in her forty years of life. Her first was nothing more than a peck, a moment of desperation during the darkest days of her life. Her last had been too long ago to recall, a press of lips that lacked even a spark of passion. 

But she had never been kissed quite like this. 

Draco Malfoy and his charming mouth were overwhelming every stitch of sensibility she possessed. He was skilled, experienced, and when he cupped the curve of her jaw and tilted her chin up, she forgot to think at all. 

Unlike the stiff, formal way he presented himself, Malfoy’s kiss was unrestrained. He took his time, letting his fingers slip back to tangle in her hair, and Hermione couldn’t stop herself from reaching up to slide her arms around his shoulders. As though she’d granted permission with the single gesture, his arm curled around her waist and he pulled her flush against his chest. 

They were not children; they were well-versed in the ways of the world, and knew what it meant to do something so careless, but Hermione didn’t push him away. She lifted up to the tips of her toes and deepened the kiss, letting their tongues tangle together until she wasn’t sure if the air she was breathing during the split seconds of clarity was hers or his. She wasn’t sure that it even mattered. 

All sense of time faded away until Malfoy pulled back, resting his forehead against hers before she allowed herself to open her eyes. What she found staring back at her stole her breath again, and she fought the urge to connect their lips once more—to forget about anything else, and let herself feel wanted for the first time in longer than she could recall. The object of her affection notwithstanding, Hermione had never felt this way before. It was a novelty to encounter a first this late in life; a surprise she, for once, didn’t feel the need to rationalize away.

“I’m afraid if I invest at this point, it would be a conflict of interest.” 

Nodding was all she could manage.

“Anyone with a stitch of sense will invest, love.” 

His fingers traced the bow of her lips and she had the sudden urge to kiss them. 

“But I refuse to give anyone else the opportunity to capture your interest before I make my intentions known,” he said. “You see, I’ve watched you for ages. I’ve seen you build your life and your home, seen you start your own business, and as impressive as all of that is—which, I must say, it is—I have no interest in being your investor. I’m afraid I’ve done this all backward.” 

When his eyes connected with hers once more, Hermione bit her lip to prevent herself from doing something silly like kissing him again. 

“I intended to invite you to dinner first, but it seems as though I underestimated my ability to restrain myself.”

She laughed, a puff of a breath that sagged in the space between them. “Lack of restraint isn’t always a bad thing, Malfoy.”

“Hmm, that’s another thing we’ll have to adjust. I’d much prefer it if you called me Draco, and I, likewise, would appreciate the opportunity to call you by your given name.”

“ _ Draco _ ?” To her surprise, the word rolled right off her tongue. 

“Much better, Hermione.”

A flutter of nervous excitement skittered through her, and Hermione bit back a smile. “So, Draco—”

“Have dinner with me.” Draco reached for her hands, enveloping them between his and rubbing his thumb across the thin skin of her palm. “Let me wine and dine you the way you deserve.”

Hermione didn’t have time to do anything other than nod before Draco’s lips found hers once again. Wand all but forgotten, she let herself get lost in the press of his lips and the promise of something new.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you endlessly to my friends who listened to my ten thousand story ideas and supported each one. My muse is a fickle bitch, but you never complained about me changing my mind over and over again, and for that, I thank you. [Misdemeanor1331](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Misdemeanor1331/pseuds/Misdemeanor1331) is to thank for my thought process drifting to Hermione and a winery and from there, it all kind of took shape. lol 
> 
> My alphas, [inadaze22](https://archiveofourown.org/users/inadaze22/pseuds/inadaze22), [pacificrimbaud](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pacificrimbaud/pseuds/pacificrimbaud), and [msmerlin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/msmerlin/pseuds/msmerlin), were invaluable. Thank you for your input. 
> 
> Additional thanks are in order for my beta, [raven_maiden](https://archiveofourown.org/users/raven_maiden/pseuds/raven_maiden), who was instrumental in pushing me and supporting me in writing this. Thank you SO MUCH for brainstorming and tidying up my mess of words. You are so very appreciated <3
> 
> Come find me on tumblr [@dreamsofdramione](https://dreamsofdramione.tumblr.com)!
> 
> THANK YOU ALL for reading! Comments & kudos **always appreciated!**


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